Gwinnett toddler gets his kidney transplant in time for Thanksgiving

A 2-year-old Gwinnett County boy born without kidneys received needed transplant surgery just in time for Thanksgiving.

AJ Burgess was in intensive care on Wednesday after his surgeon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston attached a kidney from a deceased donor, his family said through attorney Mawuli Davis.

“He went into surgery about 7:30 a.m. and we got the update about 11:30 a.m. that everything was successful,” Davis said.

The boy's plight has drawn widespread attention.

Officials for the Emory Healthcare Network, of which Children’s Healthcare is a member, postponed the transplant surgery in October following the arrest of AJ's father, which left his status as a donor in doubt. Protesters gathered to urge Emory to reconsider. Tyler Perry donated a new car to get AJ to and from his three weekly hemodialysis appointments.

Carmellia Burgess was emotional Wednesday morning as she shared memories from her pregnancy, when she said she was told her son wouldn’t survive his first 24 hours, to pictures of watching AJ take his first steps and his many hospital visits.

She shared a slideshow of images and even streamed on Facebook Live as AJ prepared for his surgery.

“I know it’s been a rocky road but today is a good day” a doctor told Burgess before AJ was taken into surgery.

The doctor, who did not appear on camera, explained the process and that AJ could expect to be in the hospital at least another week, but could be out of intensive care in a day.

Originally, AJ's father, Anthony Dickerson, planned to donate a kidney for his son. The 26-year-old was a perfect match, but he was arrested on Sept. 28, days before the scheduled transplant surgery, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.

After being released on a $2,600 bond on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of attempted felonies, Dickerson was told he could no longer donate a kidney for his son.

“They’re making this about dad,” Burgess told the AJC. “It’s not about dad. It’s about our son.”

In a letter the AJC obtained from Burgess, a hospital official said the surgery would be pushed back until Dickerson could provide evidence he has complied with his parole officer for three months.

Then everything went silent and Burgess didn’t hear from the transplant team or doctors.

After developing an infection, AJ was rushed to Children’s Hospital of Atlanta at Egleston on Oct. 29 and needed surgery to install a port for hemodialysis and other treatment. The boy had developed pneumonia, his family said.

While AJ fought to heal, officials with Emory resumed conversations about whether Dickerson would be permitted to donate a kidney. Much of this had to do with the support from the community and local activists who got involved on AJ’s behalf, the family’s law firm said.

In early November, after protests and a march by students of Emory’s Candler School of Theology and members of the NAACP outside the hospital, officials agreed to resume conversations with the family.

Davis said on Wednesday that Burgess and Dickerson continue to ask for prayers and the support of the community that has blessed AJ so much so far.

“This is an important first step,” Davis said. “The family wants everyone to continue to pray for him.”

Dickerson hadn’t given up on his son; the dad was by his son’s side before surgery and had completed a second round of tests on Monday to donate his kidney.

“AJ was always on the list for a deceased donor in addition to his father,” Davis said. “That process was moving along positively, but when this became available they had to move forward.”

When the call came in Tuesday night, they rushed AJ to CHOA and thanked the Lord.

“(Dickerson) obviously wanted to give his son a kidney, but he’s thankful his son had the kidney.”

AJ is expected to be home for Christmas and will celebrate his third birthday in January, with a new kidney to start the new year.

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